Xanthelasmata May Be An Independent Risk Factor For Heart Disease.

Forbes (9/16, Husten) reports that research published in BMJ suggests “that xanthelasmata (raised yellow patches around the eyelids) but not arcus cornae (white or grey rings around the cornea) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.”

HealthDay (9/16, Mozes) reports, “The link between the skin condition and heart disease, however, is characterized as an association, rather than a clear case of ’cause and effect.'”

MedPage Today (9/16, Walsh) reports that “during a mean follow-up of 22 years, adults participating in a long-term Danish heart study who had xanthelasmata at baseline had an adjusted hazard ratio for myocardial infarction of 1.48 (95% CI 1.23 to 1.79).” The investigators reported that “participants with these plaques also were at increased risk of ischemic heart disease (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.60) and death (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.26).”

BBC News (9/16, Gallagher) reports that “the authors believe patients with xanthelasmata may be more likely to deposit cholesterol around the body.”